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Related Publications

NCEEA's ENERGY STAR Market Impact Study

Project Summary The North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance has completed a study investigating the market advantages of ENERGY STAR (ES) qualification for new homes in a five county region around the greater Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. This investigation compares a random sample of ES Homes against homes with no building certifications that have been appraised as similar as possible to the ES Homes by a third-party appraisal company. A home’s market advantage is defined as selling for a higher sale price, selling for a greater proportion of the list price, selling for a higher price per square foot, or having spent fewer days on the market prior to sale. Data utilized was gathered from the Triangle MLS database.

Results ENERGY STAR Homes were found to have a statistically significant market advantage compared to similar code-built homes. ES homes sold for significantly higher sales prices and higher prices per square foot. Additionally, they sold almost three months faster on average. ES Homes also sold for a greater proportion of their original list price, although this result was not found to be statistically significant. Where applicable, data was analyzed using a method that accounted for differences between the properties and made appropriate financial adjustments to account for these difference as determined by a third-party appraisal company. This analysis method represents the closest "apples-to-apples" comparison achievable using industry standard practices. Below are tables and graphs further detailing the results of the investigation.

ENERGY STAR® Publications

ENERGY STAR® offers free publications on many topics related to the ENERGY STAR® program and energy efficiency technology and techniques. Publications may be downloaded in PDF format or ordered via mail. Several key publications are also available in Spanish.

Passive Solar Planbook

Passive solar homes are designed to take advantage of local climates by maximizing the energy from the sun to heat and cool the home. This book provides the fundamentals and components of passive solar design. A collection of floor plans that work in a variety of sites in North Carolina are also included in this book. The passive solar house plans in this book are affordable homes that are less than 1300 square feet and focus on energy efficiency.

There are many benefits to passive solar design for the homeowner and the environment. By reducing energy consumption, the homeowner can save money on utility bills and help prevent air pollution from electricity generating plants that burn fossil fuels. Passive solar design elements make a home comfortable year round while bringing in natural light from the increased glass on the southern side. Natural light reduces energy consumption and provides a visual connection to the outdoors.

Passive solar design can easily be incorporated into any architectural style given you have the proper site. Such design strategies have been used effectively for hundreds of years. There is a small increase in the cost of construction, but the home has lower annual energy and maintenance costs overall.